The Nights We Spend Together
by Reina
Summary: Duo&Hilde (DM&HS). Will their relationship go any deeper than just good friends? And what will Hilde do when she finds out Duo might die? WARNING: sad, depressing, angst, and may other sad and angry things.


The Nights We Spend Together

**Note**: This fic changes POV suddenly at times. It's mostly from Duo's POV, but the from Hilde's and then narrative. I am sorry for any confusion created.

(text) indicates character's thoughts

Also, if I give too many warnings, it spoils the fic, but Kleenex alert, some sour, green fruit (lime), morbidity, and general sad/angry things. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!! On with the fic!!

Duo: We have been living together for almost 3 years now, after the wars ended. Still, Hilde and I haven't even confessed to each other, or even kissed. The closest we came was casually holding hands. I'm not sure, but this seems more like a very close friendship, than a, well, "relationship", to me. But it means so much more. Oh, Hilde, if only you knew how much more. But I'm afraid to tell you. Afraid, of what? Rejection. But still,… Just one kiss, please.

Duo and Hilde are in the living room of their apartment, watching a horror/romance movie on TV.

Duo: while stretching "I think I'll turn in for tonight."

Hilde: "Ok, Goodnight, Duo."

Duo: As I walk by her, sitting on the sofa all alone, I see that while she may be trying to watch the movie, her mind is elsewhere. Second thoughts. Now's your chance, Duo. Go ahead. Hilde. I walk over to the sofa, and she looks up in surprise as I sit down beside her.

Hilde: "I thought you were going to bed."

Duo: ***shrugs*** "I changed my mind."

Hilde: "Oh." And focuses on the movie again.

Duo: It's getting to a really romantic part. The main couple looks like their going to kiss. I scoot closer to Hilde.

They gaze into each other's eyes. I look at Hilde, her mind wandering, and scoot closer, until I'm right up next to her.

They start to make out. I put my arm on the top of the sofa, around Hilde. Hilde leans into me.

The couple starts to totally make out.

I wish I could kiss you, Hilde.

Hilde: I wish you would kiss me, Duo.

Duo: We just stay like that, until the movie ends. It's 10:30pm. Reluctantly I get up from the sofa. Before I leave the room, I turn and look back at Hilde, and sigh. Then I go to my room.

I think about her move than usual as I get ready for bed:

Every night, I know she stays up until the 11:00 news is over. Then she goes to her room, but she doesn't do anything. Just sits there, looking out the window at the dark street, and the occasional passing car or truck. Then she gets up, and moves to the bathroom, and gets ready for bed.

She's in the bathroom now. I'm in my room.

After she's done there, she just stands in my room, like an angel watching over me. Leaning against the doorframe, watching me.

I can see her dark form in the small amount of moonlight filtering in through the bathroom skylight, and my windows.

Watches over me. I know it seems silly, but I still do have nightmares. I guess I always will. But even when I'm asleep, I can feel her presence, and it seems to help with the nightmares. Like an angel.

Some nights it's especially bad. Those are the nights I can wake up, cold sweat pouring down my face, heart racing, eyes wide with terror, and filled with tears, and find her sitting next to me on my bed. The nights when she'll tell me everything's ok, and we're both here.

Then, when she's sure I'll be ok the rest of the night, she goes to her room. But the dreams keep me awake, and I know she rarely sleeps. She reads, writes, thinks, and looks out her window. When she does sleep, it's light, and fevered. She keeps calling out my name, and softly moaning. Those are the times I wish I could be there, but something keeps holding me back. Why? What?

The nightmares start coming. I'm back at the ruins of the Maxwell Church. Surrounded by fire, and millions of people's bodies. I watch them die, helpless, and see their souls taken away by the black Death. Everyone that mattered in my life. Solo. Father Maxwell. Sister Helen. Even my parents, but they are only brief, shadowy images of people I used to know. I stand alone in the middle of the death, dying and destruction, most of it that I have caused, as a helpless 5-year-old.

Then from Heaven, an angel comes down. That angel is Hilde. She picks me up, and takes me away from it, as the bodies of the dead starts to drag me down. Down into the depths of Hell.

I spring awake in my bed, cold sweat dripping from my face, eyes wide with pure terror, and filled with tears, to find Hilde sitting next to me. Hilde. My angel. I try to smile, but I can't take it anymore. She holds me, and I just break down and cry. I know it hurts her to see me like this, but I just can't take it any more. I'm glad I have someone who understands, without words. Someone who's there for me. Hilde. My angel.

I look up at her, and holds me close again. So I can hear the beating of her heart under her breast. I look up again, feeling much better, and she hands me a Kleenex. I try to at least smile, however weakly.

In the morning, we act like nothing happened, both donning our masks once more.

But tonight is different. I can feel it.

We stand up together, then I pull her close, pressing her to me. I'm so thankful she doesn't resist. Instead, she puts her arms around me, as I have my arms around her, and pulls me close to her.

For the longest moment, we just gaze into each other's eyes, standing there, outlined in the dim moonlight.

Then it happens. Our lips meet. We just stay in the moment for a while. Then when we pulled away, I just had to say something.

Duo: "Hilde, I love you. I've loved you since we first met."

She looks back in my eyes, and then,

Hilde: "Duo, I love you, too. I know I always have."

Then we kiss. Again. Tasting each other. The sweetest kiss. The first time we REALLY kissed.

We went even further that night, but that's our private business.

Six Months Later:

Hilde just got home from work. She walks over to me, sitting on the sofa, watching TV, behind me.

"Hilde, you're hiding something from me," I say, noticing that "look" in her eyes.

"I can't hide anything from you can I?"

"You can try, but I doubt it would work."

We both laugh.

"I went to the doctor's today,"

"No way!! You're…"

Hilde nods.

"I'm pregnant."

I get up, and hold her, and spin her around once, then we both fall down, laughing.

But then I stop, remembering. Hilde notices.

"Duo, what's wrong?"

"I, I'm not going to be a father." I say sadly, tears beginning in my eyes.

"Yes you are, Duo. Just 2 more months."

"That's just it. I went to the doctor's yesterday."

"You're not pregnant too," she teased.

"Hell, no. But I have prostate cancer."

Hilde temporarily went into shock, before panicking.

"How long do you, have you had it? Isn't there a cure yet? Anything we can do?" she shouted.

"I have 2 months, maybe less. Doctor says I probably got it from being around the Gundams. They use a form of radiation for power. And the countless explosions. As for your other questions, no," I say, voice cracking at the last part. I can't hold back any longer. I just cry. I just sit there, on the cold, hard floor, and cry.

Things were going great. The business was doing wonderful, I was going to be a father, and now it's all going to leave. All because I had to die. I had to die, and Hilde, my angel, had to suffer for it.

Nearing 2 Months:

Neither of us has been to work, and money is dwindling. I can feel my body shutting down, tonight. And Hilde's expecting our son any day now.

We just lay in bed together, crying in each other's arms, not wanting to leave. But I can feel Death, just as I have on the battlefield, but this time, breathing down MY neck. "Why now?" my mind cries over and over again.

Sometime around 3:00am, Death tells me to say goodbye.

I look into Hilde's eyes, for the last time, and weakly whisper in her ear,

"Hilde, I love you. Forever, and always." And she says the same back to me.

We kiss, but it only lasts for a few seconds, as Death pulls me away from the only one I ever love. Hilde. My angel. And I had to leave her. Because I had to die. And now, she was all alone. I had died.

Hilde woke up the next morning, to find my lifeless body, which she yelled at to wake up, I wished I could. I had to be a bad dream. But it was too real.

As I requested, she had me put in Deathscythe Hell Custom, and sent to the sea to rest forever.

My soul was far from at rest.

Hilde: Duo!!!! You've got to be here!!! You just have to!!! Mind swirling, broken thoughts.

It continued like that form another week. The baby would come any day, and Hilde barely had the strength to stand up. She hadn't eaten since I had left. Nor had she worked.I know Death was enjoying this. Death loves to see people so miserable.

Hilde dragged herself to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, leaning her little weight on the sink. I look like Hell. She had wasted away to almost nothing. Even the lump in her stomach had shrunk. Duo, I'm going to end this. I'm coming. She took a razor blade, and examined it. I don't have enough money for abortion, be sides, I'm too far gone. If I have your kid, our son, he'll look like you, and I'll never be able to put him up for adoption. I can't even support myself; this is my only option. This is my choice.

She pressed the razor blade to her wrist.

That was one of the most painful things I ever had to face. I had to watch Hilde, my angel, die. I had to watch, as blood flowed freely from her wrist. I had to watch her die. I had to watch, as she floundered in slowly diminishing consciousness. Watch her go numb, her brain, and body slowly shut down. I had to watch her die. I had to watch my unborn son in her die with her. One more day, and he would have been born. I had to wait for her to come. At last, Death came to her too. And Death brought her to me. Death carried our son with it too. So we could all live together forever; eternity with each other; and our son. Eternity to love, forever. Together.

Ok, well, that's it! I really hope you liked it. C&C great appreciated. E-mail or be a good fic reader and leave review. Thanx for reading!!


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